Years ago, as we began our sensory processing journey, I scoured the internet for an answer to the question: what are the signs of sensory issues? I discovered sensory checklists, a tool that guided me in identifying my sons' sensory integration challenges.

Most importantly, though, it helped us find the appropriate professional to create a plan matched to my sons' developmental needs. Sensory checklists are the perfect starting point for parents in determining a child's sensory needs.

Sensory Processing Integration Issues

Good news for you: there are ample high-quality sensory checklists to help guide parents and teachers. I include links to my favorite sensory checklists in this post.

What is a Sensory Checklist?

Great question! According to Developmental Pathways, “the purpose of a sensory processing checklist is to help parents and professionals who interact with children become educated about particular signs of sensory processing dysfunction.”

Keep in mind that a sensory checklist is not an ending point for diagnosing a child with a certain sensory processing disorder. A sensory checklist is a guide, a starting point for you and possibly your pediatrician until you find a reputable occupational therapist.

Use Sensory Checklists to Determine Your Child's Needs

Is your child overly sensitive to touch and sensitive to light?

Does he have trouble grasping objects, holding a writing utensil, or catching a ball?

Are you concerned about fine motor skills as he has difficulty completely fine motor tasks?

Maybe you've noticed that he enjoys extreme force, such as pulling and pushing, in his activities.

Hyposensitivity Sensory Checklist

With a sensory checklist, we identified our oldest son's hyposensitivity. We observed that he touched everything and constantly chewed on his shirt. He is an oral sensory seeker, a picky eater, and easily distracted. As a result, our oldest needed more sensory input. His gross motor skills were off the chart as he was in constant motion. Furthermore, his issue was not poor balance but exactly the opposite.

To clarify, he needs to be moving his body in order to focus. Therefore, if he were forced to sit, he would have difficulty learning. That was an ah-ha moment for me as an educator and parent. His brain needs additional input to be able to take in the learning. Stepping back, it makes a lot of sense within the context of brain development.

Hypersensitivity Sensory Checklist

Our middle son is the opposite – hypersensitive, which, in his case, means that he reacts negatively to anything that overstimulates his nervous system. He experiences strong reactions to smells and noises.

To give you an example, years ago we were traveling in San Francisco. In order to get to my sister's home, we hopped into a taxi cab. Immediately, the driver's cologne enveloped the car and my son appeared as if he was going to vomit. Well, we made it to our destination, at which point my son let out a huge breath.

Your Starting Point for Understanding Sensory Processing Disorders

With a sensory checklist, I was able to determine the type of sensory processing disorder and we could move onto the sensory processing treatment. I want you to have the same insight into your child's sensory development. Below is a short list of sensory checklist resources. I hope you find these sensory processing disorder assessments helpful.

The ubiquitousness of the word itself – maybe even the practice of mindfulness – might get an eye roll or two. Here is the thing, though, a myriad of scientific research studies back up the positive impact mindfulness has on human existence. So, integrating mindfulness in the classroom makes a lot of sense.

Mindfulness in the Classroom

Just what does it mean to be mindful? According to Merriam-Webster, mindfulness is “the practice of maintaining a nonjudgmental state of heightened or complete awareness of one's thoughts, emotions, or experiences on a moment-to-moment basis”. Regardless of the science, there isn't much of a downfall with mindfulness.

Is mindfulness just another fad? Or is it something more, something that actually has a positive impact, especially on our youth? Mindfulness is not a craze. It is a practice that is rooted in science. Mindfulness is proven to have a strong and beneficial effect on people of all ages.

When introduced at a young age, kids will grow up with increased cognitive awareness and a higher degree of self-regulation. Plus with all the headlines about increasing rates of anxiety and depression in kids, mindfulness is a low-risk approach to mitigate those statistics.

So, let's get started on exploring ways to bring mindfulness in the classroom.

Mindfulness Activities for Preschoolers

Kids are ripe for beginning a mindfulness practice. There are some really easy, fun, and engaging mindfulness exercises for students that will help kids focus and less anxious. Some of these activities allow children to learn the practice without even feeling like they're learning one of the most important skills a person can learn: self-awareness and self-regulation.

One of the easiest ways to teach mindfulness activities for preschoolers is to have them play sensory games. These games can be played from the comfort of their seats, outside, or even on the bus on the way to a field trip. Sensory games have kids use their senses as a means for increasing awareness of their environment as well as their place within that environment. Listening activities for kids are a fantastic means of being more present. We love going on a listening walk to clear our minds and get a bit of fresh air.

Easy and Inexpensive Mindfulness Exercises for Kids

The quickest way to get little ones using their senses is by using their bodies – no other “materials” are needed!

Have students keep their eyes open and count five things in the room that they can see. Then, have them close their eyes and count four sounds that they hear. Afterward, have them count three things that they can either touch or is touching them (ie the chair they are sitting in). For two, have them count two things they can smell (this one will be sure to give you a laugh or two!). Finally, for the last one, instead of taste, which might be a little much for younger ones, have them engage in some self-love by coming up with one thing they like about themselves.

Glitter Jar – Mindfulness Activity for Preschoolers

Another fun way to teach mindfulness to preschool-aged kids is by using a glitter jar. Don't worry – there won't be glitter on little hands after this practice. Instead, you can either buy or make a sensory jar that is filled with water, glue (for bonding), and glitter.

Much like an old-school sand timer, glitter jars help children with sensory sensitivities and anxiety. They also increase their awareness. After shaking the jar, you can have the students practice mindful breathing while the glitter settles to the bottom. You can also use the jar to teach an awareness of how our reactions work. Have the kids begin to think of their happy or angry emotions as the glitter swirls. Then, begin to notice how time allows these pieces of glitter, and therefore their emotions, to steady out and sink to the bottom again. This exercise is really a good one for kids of all ages!

Mindfulness Activities for Kindergarten

Do you remember the good ol' days when your parents and teachers would play the quiet game? They might not have been aware of or even trying to teach you the benefits of mindfulness, but whether they were intentional or not, they were helping you engage in mindfulness.

With a few explicit instructions, though, and sharing of your intentions, you can teach mindfulness activities for kindergarten aged kids with a similar tactic to the one your parents may have used for some peace and quiet.

The Calm Competition offers a win-win situation. Kids love to compete, and we love to teach our younger students how to be calm and present. By presenting mindfulness in the form of a game, you might not be able to get your four to six-year-olds to be still for hours at a time. However, you'll definitely instill in them techniques for being present in a way that doesn't seem like a chore to them.

All you need for this mindfulness practice is a timer. Start small. On the first day, set the timer for one minute and challenge your students to be still by practicing deep breaths in and out. Silently count in for three breaths, hold for two breaths, and exhale for three breaths. Over time, you can have kids work their way up to two or even three minutes! Breathing exercises are also an effective mindfulness activity.

Mindfulness Activities for Kids – In the Classroom

What better way to teach mindfulness activities than bringing in an awareness of the body itself? You've probably heard of elementary teachers having students engage in brain breaks by practicing a body scan. What is a body scan, and how is it such an effective tool for toddlers and younger children? The body scan teaches kids active listening, body awareness, and awareness of their environment.

Body Scan – Mindfulness in the Classroom

There are several ways to incorporate a body scan into your classroom. Find a script for body scans online if you need one. Then slowly read it to the kids as they close their eyes and follow along. You can also find a body scan video online. Simply play the video and follow along with your students. Both options are great tools for helping increase mindfulness for kids in your classroom. Headspace is also a great app that many teachers use to bring mindfulness in the classroom.

The Heartbeat Game – Mindfulness in the Classroom

Another great way to teach mindfulness to kids by using the body is by playing the heartbeat game. You start by having the kids close their eyes while sitting down. They can put their right hand over heart and count their heartbeat for one minute. Afterward, have them move by engaging in jumping jacks or running in place for thirty seconds to a minute.

Next, have them take a seat and repeat the hand over the heart exercise. After the second heartbeat count, have them compare the numbers they got when resting and after exercising. This mindfulness practice not only teaches an awareness of the body but also helps improve kids' focus. Plus, it gets them moving in the middle of the day when they need to get their wiggles out! It's another win-win situation.

I discovered the term sensory processing disorder many years ago when my oldest was exhibiting sensory processing issues. At the time, I began to learn as much as I possibly could about sensory integration and brain development.

Let me begin by saying that I am a parent and a Montessori trained teacher. I write to share ideas and resources with you in hope of adding value to your parenting journey. I am not an expert but a curated of expert opinion. I want to be accessible to you as you meander down parenting's winding path.

My Montessori training put the icing on the cake during an eye-opening unit called “learning differences”. I appreciated the label applied to the topic because the instructor easily could have presented it in a more negative way such as learning disabilities.

The Montessori theory emphasizes a multi-sensory approach to learning generally speaking within the Montessori theory but more specifically during such Montessori lessons such as sandpaper letters where a child tracing the sandpaper letter while saying the sound. The child may not be quite ready to write the letter “r”, for example, but her brain is already making the connections needed when she discovers handwriting. Beautiful, right?

“The environment must be rich in motives which lend interest to activity and invite the child to conduct his own experiences.” ― Maria Montessori

So, let’s get right into it. But, wait, before we begin please keep in mind that I have learned about sensory processing disorder in my studies but I am not a licensed medical professional. I gathered the information I found relevant and am sharing those sensory processing disorders with you.

What is Sensory Processing Disorder?

“Sensory processing refers to the way the nervous system receives messages from the senses and turns them into responses. For those with Sensory Processing Disorder, sensory information goes into the brain but does not get organized into appropriate responses. Those with SPD perceive and/or respond to sensory information differently than most other people. Unlike people who have impaired sight or hearing, those with Sensory Processing Disorder do detect the sensory information; however, the sensory information gets “mixed up” in their brain and therefore the responses are inappropriate in the context in which they find themselves.” {Source: STAR Institute}

So, as you can imagine, most children fall into this sensory processing bucket at some point on the spectrum

Maria Montessori focused a great deal on creating materials and lessons that utilized these sensory systems, often simultaneously.

Types of Sensory Processing Disorder

There are three main “patterns” of sensory processing disorder as illustrated by the STAR Institute in this graph:

Modulation – including over-responsive, under-responsive, and craving

Motor – including postural and dyspraxia

Discrimination within any or several of the 8 sensory systems

Sensory Processing Disorder Symptoms

There is a wide spectrum of sensory processing symptoms.

Personally, my oldest son couldn't keep his hands off anything, was always moving his body, and had extensive food aversions. My middle son is an explosive child and required a bit more to help with his sensory processing overload (which manifested into heightened anxiety).

Signs for hypersensitivity may include:

doesn't like noises like the vacuum or a toilet flushing

an extreme sense of smell

hears background noise that others would dismiss

falls a lot

doesn't like crowds

Signs for hyposensitivity may include:

a need to touch everything

chews on his shirt

unable to sit still

takes physical risks

What is a Sensory Diet?

Just like we need a diet of food, we need a diet of sensory tools, especially if there is a sensory processing disorder diagnosis. A sensory diet is a plan based on an individual's particular sensory needs according to sensory integration theory. A sensory diet assists with regulation, attention, focus, and adaptive responses in a classroom and at home.

A word of caution, as tempting as it is to create your own sensory diet, please, please visit with an occupational therapist who can evaluate your child and create a sensory diet specific to your child needs.

Hypersensitive

For my oldest son, we worked with an occupational therapist to create a multi-faceted plan to satisfy my son's sensory needs. In his case, he needs more input in order to stay focused and regulate his body. We used fidgets, chewy tubes, and a chair band. We also spoke with his school about getting him a yoga ball chair in which he could move his body to get the sensory input he needed. He also loves to jump on a trampoline, use a balance board, swing, and spin.

Hyposensitive

For my middle son, he has sensory overload. As a result, he needs calming tools. For example, being next to a window for more natural sunlight, listening to music with headphones, and a fidget like model magic to help with his anxiety (too much stimulus). At home, we have a weighted blanket and pillows around his body when he sleeps.

There are a variety of ways to create a sensory diet that works for you and your family. I highly recommend working with an occupational therapist to devise a plan.

The Montessori theory in my view must be applied to all areas of life far extending the boundaries of the classroom. These Montessori quotes for parents highlight that belief.

Montessori is a way of life that must not end and begin at the classroom door. Montessori's philosophy extends out into the world and into the home. Subsequently, Montessori parents are an integral part of that extension and must pay close attention to their child's development.

Montessori Quotes for Parents

“The greatness of human personality begins at the hour of birth.”

This is the moment a child begins to experience the world and all its sensory glory.

“Children must grow not only in the body but in the spirit, and the mother longs to follow the mysterious spiritual journey of the beloved one who to-morrow will be the intelligent, divine creation, man.”

There is a delicate balance between guiding and observing a child as he leads his own development.

“The essence of independence is to be able to do something for one’s self.”

“Respect all the reasonable forms of activity in which the child engages and try to understand them.”

There is always some sort of intention behind a behavior – whether good or bad – that isn't visible at the surface.

“To give a child liberty is not to abandon him to himself.”

“To let the child do as he likes, when he has not yet developed any powers of control, is to betray the idea of freedom.”

Both of these Montessori quotes lend to the idea of freedom within a disciplined environment. In other words, we do a disservice to the child if we don't offer boundaries. The ideas is to create a well planned, well-prepared environment and give the child immense liberty within that environment.

“To assist a child, we must provide him with an environment which will enable him to develop freely.”

Observe the child. Do not intervene. This requires a lot of patience but it is absolutely necessary. From those observations, curate and prepare an environment best suited for his developmental stage and interests.

“Imitation is the first instinct of the awakening mind.”

Montessori often gets criticized for being too structured and too serious. Here is the thing, though, children find great joy in work an often this work comes in the form of imitation. That is a good sign.

More Montessori Quotes for Parents

“Discipline in freedom seemed to solve a problem which had hitherto seemed insoluble. The answer lay in obtaining discipline by giving freedom. These children, who sought their work in freedom, each absorbed in a different kind of task, yet all belonging to the same group gave an impression of perfect discipline.”

“The child who concentrates is immensely happy.”

We often mistake this concentration for seriousness or a lack of joy when the experience is precisely the opposite for the child.

“The human being is a united whole, but this unity has to be built up and formed by active experiences in the real world, to which it is led by the laws of nature.”

Children need to be given the freedom to have experiences, to fail, and to explore on their own and within their own terms.

“We used to say that it was the mother who formed the child; for it is she who teaches him to walk, talk, and so on. But none of this is really done by the mother. It is the achievement of the child. What the mother brings forth is the baby, but it is the baby who produces the man.”

Maria Montessori Quotes from The Absorbent Mind

“To recognize this great work of the child does not mean to diminish the parents' authority. Once they can persuade themselves not to be themselves the builders, but merely to act as collaborators in the building process, they become much better able to carry out their real duties; and then, in the light of a wider vision, their help becomes truly valuable.”

“To understand the baby's mind, it is absolutely essential to take the path of observation and discovery.”

“..it is well to cultivate a friendly feeling towards error, to treat it as a companion inseparable from our lives, as something having a purpose, which it truly has.”

This page includes Montessori monthly themes for preschoolers including Montessori Activities by Season and Montessori Activities by Holiday. I hope this content helps you create amazing Montessori Monthly Lesson Plans! My goal is to add to this monthly content so that you have dozens of Montessori theme ideas for each month of the year!

Montessori Month by Month Curriculum

The child's development follows a path of successive stages of independence, and our knowledge of this must guide us in our behaviour towards him. We have to help the child to act, will and think for himself. This is the art of serving the spirit, an art which can be practised to perfection only when working among children. – Dr. Maria Montessori

Montessori Winter Activities

It is the life of the crystal, the architect of the flake, the fire of the frost, the soul of the sunbeam. This crisp winter air is full of it. ~John Burroughs, “Winter Sunshine”

Although there is no specific Montessori writing on art in a Montessori classroom, we can only imagine the appreciate Dr. Montessori must have had for this approach to learning. Her emphasis on order, neatness, and love of nature gives further indication that she would support artworks within a Montessori classroom.

In addition to the general appreciation of art, activities within a Montessori early childhood classroom involve fine motor development, math, science, language, and sensorial. Integrating art into other learning areas is key to introducing art to children.

Montessori Art focuses on the process and allowing the child to truly experience art on his own terms. Children are born naturally inclined to art. So, then, our job is to nurture that natural tendency towards creativity. I think you will agree that art is about the experience the child has with the materials, the mediums, and the textures that ultimately create the art. This idea is known as process art.

Montessori Art Activities, Materials, & Shelf Ideas

You won't find crafts or step by step art projects in a Montessori environment. More often than not, an art project is integrated into another area of the classroom such as language (storytelling), history (visual representations of time), math (beadwork), and geography (tracing & coloring maps).

Montessori Art Theory in a Few Words

So, what is behind Montessori art? Here are a few words used to describe Montessori art.

Exploration

Creativity

Unique

Thoughtful

Mindful

Patient

Child Led

Process Not Product

Appreciation

Time

Flexibility

Sensory

Ways Art is Beneficial to Children

I am likely preaching to the choir here but here are a few of the myriad of reasons art is beneficial to children. The research comes out, again and again, affirming this belief. Art studies help child's developing brains in more ways than we can see tangibly. This article on PBS.org describes the importance of art in a young child's life.